20. Josh Freeman (Bucs)

The Raanan Rankings: Quarterbacks

It's hard to determine who the real Josh Freeman is. He was so good in 2010, but has thrown 26 touchdown passes and 40 (Forty!) interceptions in his other two pro seasons. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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From First to La... By Jordan Raanan, XFINITY Sports

I ranked the teams. Done and done. Now I take on the most important position in football—quarterback.

This was not a simple task. In many cases (especially at the top), it's like trying to pick between Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Rocky Road ice cream. Impossible. But like my trips to the ice cream shop, I did my best.

Here's how these rankings work: I put the projected starting quarterbacks in order (1-32) of where they would be drafted if I were to select a QB, completely independent of his team, for this year only. THIS YEAR ONLY.

Did I say this year only yet? (AP Photos)

Jordan Raanan has covered the NFL since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at @JordanRaanan or email him at jraanan@hotmail.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. Aaron Rodgers... I've never seen a quarterback play as well as Rodgers last season. It was truly spectacular. It was almost like he never missed a pass. (AP Photo/John Grieshop)

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2. Tom Brady (Pa... It's hard to put Tom Brady second on any list. He's that good. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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3. Drew Brees (S... If this were based solely on stats, Brees would be atop the list. But— and this is really nitpicking—he doesn't have the same physical skills as Rodgers and Brady. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman)

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4. Eli Manning (... Eli has improved just about every season. Three or four years ago he wouldn't have sniffed the Top 10, never mind the Top 5. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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5. Matthew Staff... Nobody has a better arm than Stafford. It's just one of the reasons he threw 41 touchdown passes last season. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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6. Ben Roethlisb... Big Ben holds the ball too long for my liking. He knows how to make plays though, and is a 10x better QB now than when he won those Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Doug Benz)

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7. Peyton Mannin... Peyton Manning at 80 percent is still pretty darn good. Concerns about his neck and shoulder keep him out of the Top 3. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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8. Philip Rivers... His 2011 season was an anomaly. The previous three years were the real Philip Rivers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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9. Tony Romo (Co... I'll admit it: I'm high on Tony Romo. Reality is significantly different than the perception of the Cowboys quarterback. Romo makes plays, produces touchdowns and is remarkably efficient (QB rating of above 91 in each of his six years as a starter). (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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10. Matt Ryan (F... Ryan's entering one of his prime years. He reached the air of the elite last season. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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11. Michael Vick... Vick's legs and arm make him special. His turnovers and style of play (reckless/injury prone) keep him from the Top 10. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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12. Joe Flacco (... The only thing that keeps Flacco from the Top 10 is his accuracy. Sometimes it's just nonexistent. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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13. Cam Newton (... It's clear with Vick and Newton's rankings that I'm not the biggest fan of running quarterbacks. Until proven otherwise, you win with pocket quarterbacks. Cam can throw from the pocket, and with continued improvement, it wouldn't surprise if he's in the Top 5 of these rankings next year. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

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14. Matt Schaub ... Schaub's skills aren't spectacular but he does everything pretty well. He's a solid quarterback. (AP Photo/Margaret Bowles)

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15. Jay Cutler (... Cutler's arm is top-notch, but he throws a few too many interceptions for my liking. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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16. Carson Palme... It's been six years since the 2006 Carson Palmer. Since then he's been an average quarterback. He's ranked 16th, the true definition of an average starting NFL QB. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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17. Sam Bradford... Bradford had a nice rookie year and was brutal in his sophomore season. I'm not ready to give up on him yet. Not with the howitzer attached to his shoulder. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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18. Mark Sanchez... Sanchez isn't quite as bad as his rap. He accounted for 32 total TDs last season—26 passing, 6 rushing—compared to 20 in 2010. He also has a solid history of playing well in the clutch. Accuracy is his Achilles’ heel. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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19. Andy Dalton ... There were a lot of positives to take from a rookie year with 20 TDs and 13 INTs. Dalton should only be better this season. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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20. Josh Freema... It's hard to determine who the real Josh Freeman is. He was so good in 2010, but has thrown 26 touchdown passes and 40 (Forty!) interceptions in his other two pro seasons. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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21. Andrew Luck ... I like Luck as much as any rookie quarterback this decade. Still, no matter who you are, there is a steep learning curve in the NFL. (AP Photo/Richard Lipski)

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22. Robert Griff... I'd be stunned if Griffin and Luck aren't in the Top 5 of these rankings within 3-5 years. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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23. Ryan Fitzpat... Fitzpatrick's skills and overall decision-making are below average. Evidence: 68 career TD passes/65 career interceptions. (AP Photo/Doug Benz)

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24. Jake Locker ... I love Locker's arm and mentally he's no longer a rookie. Game experience, however, he's still basically a rookie. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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25. Alex Smith (... Smith played exceptionally well last season and still only threw 17 TD passes. He’s limited by a noodle arm and mediocre accuracy, a petrifying combination. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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26. Matt Cassel ... Cassel threw 10 touchdown passes in nine starts last season. That's just not good enough. Neither is his arm. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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27. Christian Po... Ponder flashed last year, showing signs he could break the Top 15 in a year or two. He throws a really nice deep ball, has good legs and some playmaking ability. Still, he has plenty to learn and his accuracy must improve. (AP Photo/Andy King)

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28. Blaine Gabbe... Gabbert has an excellent arm and athleticism. But after playing in a spread offense in college he still has a ton to learn entering his sophomore season. His feet are awfully jittery. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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29. Russell Wils... I said it all last year: Wilson was the best quarterback in college football. It didn't mean he would be the best pro prospect, though. Despite his brilliance so far, his lack of height and newbie status will limit him in 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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30. Ryan Tannehi... After one-and-a-half years as a college quarterback, Tannehill isn't ready to excel at the NFL level. A realistic goal for him should be to move into the top half of these rankings by his third season. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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31. Brandon Weed... Weeden's age (28) means little. He's still a rookie playing the most difficult and complex position in the NFL. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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32. John Skelton... The Cards won some game late last season with Skelton. Over a 16-game slate though, it won't be pretty. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.